Woods, Webber, Ponting top Media Monitors’ list of most mentioned sportsmen
By ANIMonday, December 27, 2010
MELBOURNE - Tiger Woods, Mark Webber and Ricky Ponting top the Media Monitors’ list of most mentioned sportspeople
According to Fox Sports and the Daily Telegraph, of the top 10, six are figures whose prevalence can be ascribed to off-field events as much as any sporting achievement - from affairs to drugs, break-ups to retirement.
Tiger Woods leads the way like he used to dominate golf tournaments, displacing Ricky Ponting, who slips from first to third. Mark Webber is second thanks to his tumultuous pursuit of the Formula One crown.
Behind Ponting comes Michael Clarke after saturation coverage of his relationship, then break-up, with Lara Bingle. Of the next six, you could argue convincingly that Ben Cousins (fifth), Greg Inglis (sixth), Israel Folau (eighth) and Gary Ablett (ninth) generated coverage that far outweighted what they achieved in a sporting sense.
Only Jessica Watson (seventh), Bart Cummings (10th), Ponting and Webber are arguably on the list for predominantly sporting reasons - and even Webber’s presence is boosted by his ongoing rivalry with Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel.
The staggering thing about Woods holding No. 1 spot - with 40,000 more mentions than Webber - is that news of his numerous infidelities broke in 2009.
The list is as follows:
1. Tiger Woods (Golf) - 121,100 media mentions
2. Mark Webber (Formula One) - 82,841
3. Ricky Ponting (Cricket) - 78,488
4. Michael Clarke (Cricket) - 67,091
5. Ben Cousins (AFL) - 65,593
6. Greg Inglis (NRL) - 56,265
7. Jessica Watson (Sailing) - 49,919
8. Israel Folau (NRL/AFL) - 49,665
9. Gary Ablett (AFL) - 48,533
10. Bart Cummings (Horse racing) - 43,748
11. Jason Akermanis (AFL) - 42,272
12. Shane Warne (Cricket) - 39,354
13. Mark Thompson (AFL) - 38,463
14. Tim Cahill (Football) - 38,027
15. Mick Malthouse (AFL) 32,116
16. Samantha Stosur (Tennis) - 27,055
17. Timana Tahu (NRL) - 22,187
18. Chris Judd (AFL) - 21,652
19. Casey Stoner (MotoGP) - 21,424
20. Stephanie Rice (Swimming) - 18,747 (ANI)
